Bottle-supporting means.



J. F. McDONNELL.

BOTTLE SUPPORTING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. we.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

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UNITED srarns PATENT onnion.

JAMES F. MCDONNELL, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SANITARY BOTTLE WASHING COMPANY (LIMITED), OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AOOBPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J earns F. MCDONNELL, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bottle-Supporting Means, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

This invention relates to bottle capping apparatus, and more particularly to an improved bottle supporting pad for use in apparatus of this character;

In machines of the kind wherewith my invention is intended for use it is necessary to-provide a resilient or yielding bottle supemployed in machines of this kind forsuporting means inorder to obviate breakage of the bottles, and the importance of such a. provision will become apparent when it is explained that a pressure of approximately four hundred and fifty pounds is exerted upon the bottle at the moment of capping it,

and under the most favorable circumstances,

a certain amount of breakage is inevitable. I-Ieretofore solid rubber pads have been porting the bottle and absorbing the shock during the capping operation; These rubber pads, however, are comparatively short lived for they soon become distorted from the continual action of the capping appaor mechanism that breakage is greatly increased. -Furthermore, these rubber pads,

especially after they become worn, provide lodging places for dirt and germs, thus producing unsanitary bottling conditions.

It is the ob ect of my inventlon to overcome the foregoing difficulties in a very,

economical and simple manner by substituting for the present solid rubber pad, a sanitary composite pad consisting of a rubber cushion having its upper surface entirely protected by a substantial plate of metal and its central portion cut away so as to produce an air chamber or pocket beneath the plate which will enhance the cushioning Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June'29,191e. Serial No. 106,587.

no'rrnn-surronrnve MEANS.

' Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

1 function of'the pad. This represents. the

present preferred embcdimentof my'invention, although it'will be understood that the scop'e'of the invention embraces all modifications which fall within the terms of the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figural represents a fragmentary sectionalelevation of a bottle capping apparatus wherein is incorporated, the bottle supportingpad of my invention; Fig. 2 is a. top perspective view,'and Fig. 3 a bottom" perspective view of my improved pad; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail thereof.

The apparatus is of standard design and consists, generally, of a supporting element 1 that extends laterally from a standard 2 which supports a bracket 3 some distance, above the element 1 and through which the capping device 4: reciprocates. Extending from the standard 2, and spaced a short distance above the element 1, is a member 5 which embraces the bottle 6 and carries it about the machine, within the guard 7 that is supported from a stationary table 8, it beingunderstood that the element 1, the member 5, and the bracket 3 are carried by and rotate with the standard 2. These parts constitute no part of my invention, and are common in standard types of bottle capping 7 machines. It isdeemed unnecessary, therefore, to go into further detail in the description of the apparatus, except to say that the elementl is surmounted by a plate 9 having apertures 10 for the reception of bottle supporting pads, one for the support of each bottle. In some machines the pad receiving apertures are straight sided, although in the apparatus whercwith I have elected to show my improved pad, the sides of the apertures are flared downward and outward, and the pad is made of acorresponding shape to interlock within the aperture.

The pad comprises, in its present preferred form, an annulus 15 of resilient material, such as rubber, and a, circular plate 16 is secured to its upper side by rivets 17 that are countersunk within the plate, as shown in Fig. 4, and have fiat heads 18 which repose within recesses 19 in the bottom of the annulus, the heads being spaced upward some distance from the bottom surfaceof the pad so as to allow the pad to yield sufficiently to properly perform its function. When the pad occupies its'recess inth'e' supporting element. (of which the plate-9niay'be-considereda part) the upper surface of the plate 16 is substantially flush with the corresponding surface-of the sup porting element, and the space between the plate 16: and the'bottem' Wall of the recess and surrounded by the annulus 15, const-ir tutes an air chamber 20 which acts to increasev the cushioning function of the pad duringv the bottle. capping operation.

It will be seenfromithe foregoing description. of the construction of my improved bottle supporting, pad, that the. part suss ceptible to any appreciable amount of-.Wear

is thoroughly protectedasit is entirely contained. within. the recess. of. the. supporting elementand covered by the. plate 16. The fact thatthe cushion or. resilientportion of the padis of slight cross sectional area (the central portion beingv cut away asabove described) prevents. the pad from becoming distorted by itscentral portionbeing unduly compressed by continuous use. In the ordinary solid rubber pads hereinbefore referred to, the distortion is considerably due to the'fact that the density of the central portion of the pad is increased by the continual action of the cappmg. apparatus trans? mitted to it through the bottle. Of course,

in connection with this course, the pad is further deformed by being cut away by glass deposited on it in the breakage of the bottles;

Experiences of this kind are impossible with the bottle supporting pad herein disclosed, thusinsuring prolonged usefulness;

. less breakage of bottles; and requires less attention on the part of the operator of the.

machine. Also they aremore sanitary than the ordinary form of pad, as has already been explained. In view of the foregoing.

facts, and the fact that considerable rubber is saved in the production of my improved;

supporting plate, a second supporting plate carried by said first plate and cushioning means'betiveen said plates comprisingan annular resilientmember, said plates forming with said member a sealed air chamber, for the purpose described.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting element havinga-recess, a pad of resilient material Within said recess, the central; portion of said pad being cut away to produce; with said element an ain chamber, and a. plate superimposed upon said pad and bridging the opening. therein.

5. Ina bottle capping apparatus, the combination of: a'capping device, a bottle supporting element, a non-yielding bottle supporting disk superposed thereover, the capping device being; in: alinement with the center of said disk and cushioning means located between said element and'the peripheryof said disk, said cushioning meanscoim prising an annular resilient member Where by said cushioningmeansis free fromthedirectblows delivered to-the centerof said disk.

6. In apparatus-of the. character set forth, the combination of a supporting element having av recess the side Walls whereof diverge fromzthe open side of the recess, apad Within said. recessand having its outer edge flared to interlock with the side Wallsof the recess, and a metallic plate applied to. the outer surface of the pad, the central portion of said pad beingcut away toproduce an air cushion beneath said plate.

7.. As a newv article of manufacture for use in bottle capping apparatus, a bottle supporting device comprising. a supporting element, a. supporting plate. located above. said element, and an annular padlof resilient. material superimposed on said element and supp'ortingsaid plate, said plate. bridging the opening. in saidresilient pad.-

8.. As an article of ID'ElIIUfLICtHIG fOR use ini bottle cappingapparatus, a bottle supporting- OlGVlCG comprising an annular pad of resilient material, a supporting plate resting thereon, and means attaching said plateand said pad together, said plate bridging the opening in said annular pad.

Intestimony whereof, I hereunto affix my.

signature.

J AMES F.. MoDONNELL.

Copies-o! this patestmay. be pbt'ainealjoz flacenta each. by. addressing. the commissioner of. Patents, Washington, D. G," 

